By John Crowther

Ken or Kenny to his friends and family, many of whom, like myself, were honoured to have as a colleague and friend, are deeply saddened at the untimely loss of such an upstanding and trusted person whose warmth and exuberance was an inspiration to us all.

I first met Kenny at Cardwell Bay in 1979 and became part of the well established small boat and yachting scene and soon got to know him not only as a yachtsman but as a friend whom I could rely upon.

Life on the water appeared idyllic but within a couple of years things changed drastically with the establishment of the Clyde Moorings Committee who acted as agents on behalf of the Crown Estate Commissioners to collect mooring fees which led to what the press dubbed “Rebellion on the Clyde”.   One thing which is certain is that Kenny was not the rebellious type but rather a person who would stand up for what is right and would inspire others to do likewise which, in turn, under Kenny’s guidance led to the founding of Inverclyde Boat Owners Association in 1981.   For a few years all was well until a dispute arose over the number of moorings allocated to the Association could not be resolved without going to court.   Kenny was a calming and reassuring influence to the members and while at the helm he steered the Association on a true course until victory was secured.

Come the winter months Cardwell Bay is not the safest of anchorages so Kenny contacted Inverclyde Council to see if any ground was available for hard storage of boats.   The response from Inverclyde Council was far from heartening.   This, however, did not deter Kenny for he set about, with the assistance of a small group of trusted friends, to ascertain what land Inverclyde Council did own.   Investigations led in due course to the Greenock Harbour Trust and the Common Good which had, to all intents and purposes, been hidden from view to the public.

Kenny was at the forefront of the campaign and to make it more endearing to the populace formed Greenock Waterfront Heritage Association and was elected as Chairman.   Kenny would spend hours in the Watt and Mitchell Libraries immersing himself on the history of Harbour Trust to such an extent that a qualified historian would have been extremely proud of his research work.

Jeannie and the family were more than aware of the long hours and meticulous planning, much of it at 33 Davaar Road, with Jeannie supplying endless cups of tea, coffee and sandwiches.

Letters were scripted, petitions lodged, meetings held with Members of Parliament culminating with visits to the U.K. Parliament, the House of Lords and the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

By now Kenny was a walking encyclopaedia and authority on this issue and could rhyme off chapter and verse of Trust Deeds, Feu Charters, Sasine Records and Acts of Parliament, he was fully and unequivocally devoted to the rights of the townspeople.

Kenny also had an interested in Scotland and Scottish Affairs, an interest which led to him becoming a member of the Gourock Branch of the SNP and then Greenock and Inverclyde Constituency Branch.

Kenny was active within the branch and a respected debater on many issues both local and national and eventually taking office of vice convener or as he would often quip in his own humorous way – He was convener of vice.

In 2007 Kenny was elected as Councillor for Ward 6 – Inverclyde South West and soon established himself as a very popular and respected councillor.

Above all Kenny was a man of compassion, a shining example to us all and a beacon of inspiration whose light may now be dimmed, but most certainly not extinguished for in years to come when Greenock’s History is re-written there will most certainly be a chapter dedicated in the memory of James Cameron Kennedy Ferguson.